We Interrupt This Program...

[Deena in GA]

Alan, you've managed to give me a reason to be glad I only have 2 acres.

[A.T.Hagan]

Within ten minutes of the children's departure Kate Daniels and her two older boys arrived at the house followed soon after by Melinda, Heather, Jimmy Bryant and his brother Don who had come to stay with him. Not long after Ann came back with two more of their neighbors - Ed Strickland and Rick Young. Their faces grew grave as John explained to them the encounter he'd had with the soldiers and the implications it held for them all. They'd just begun to discuss possible options when Robert and Lisa came back in the truck with four more in the back. John knew the name of only one - Steve, who he'd met at Miguel's from time to time - and three others who he'd seen in Archer but had never spoken with before but who turned out to live between them and Miguel. He explained the situation to them and just as he was finishing Miguel arrived driving a large flat bed Ford with his sons Roberto, and Albert and seven others John assumed were Miguel's neighbors. Once again he launched into an explanation of the National Recovery Executive Directive and its implications.

Jimmy said, "Goddamnit! The Sheriff's Posse just killed four men for rustling and here comes the government to do the same thing and call it 'requisitioning'! We're all going to be hard put to avoid starving before next year's crops come in if the winter is as bad as John says it's going to be. If they take what they please of our livestock and feed we'll starve for sure!"

"Well, there are a lot of refugees in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, up to Newberry, over to Palatka and probably a lot of other places that I haven't heard of.", a woman said who John hadn't met before but who had come with Miguel, "The government's got to feed them. It's only natural they look to area farmers for the food."

"But that's just the problem Angela," Miguel explained, "Except for Ed here, none of us here *are* farmers. I doubt that any of us here have made more than pocket change from what we raise on our land and with grocery deliveries stopped we're eating it all. Even that's not quite enough. Maybe Ed here has enough cattle that he could let some go but what are they going to pay for them with and how are they going to determine their worth? Do you know what a dollar is worth now? Government price controls won't let food products be sold for more than ten percent over what they brought a month ago but there's very little to be bought from price controlled suppliers. Flour went for a dollar twenty five a pound at the new Archer market last weekend. Next weekend I expect it'll be at least a dollar and a half, maybe more. Since this is the government they're going to pay what the price control board says the cattle are worth and pay for them with dollars that lose value every day. They'll pay a pittance for what they take and we'll be short of food with no way to get more"

Rick said, "They're not searching my place and that's a fact. I've got my sister and her kids with me and we're all losing weight as it is. As soon as the weather gets cold we're going to butcher my two pigs so we can stop feeding them. Like as not we'll be eating the pig feed before anything we can plant comes in."

Ed Strickland joined in, "Well…, I'm willing to sell them cattle. What with having lost that last cutting of hay to the rain and the possibility of a prolonged winter I'm not going to be able to feed them all so someone might as well eat them. I'll be damned if they'll just waltz in and tell me how many I'll sell and for how much though! I'll sell for a reasonable price but I'll decide how many I'll sell, not them."

Kate Daniels said, "John, I've got a message into Mike over the radio to come here right away and I told him what Heather and Mel told me. He said he was on the way but he didn't know what he'd be able to do. Do you have a plan or anything?"

John paused for a moment before speaking, "Well, the most important thing is to not let them take the food we're going to need to survive the winter and the second most important thing is to make sure no one gets hurt. I can't help but think that if the whole community presents a visibly united front they'll listen to reason… They'll probably listen better if we can get them at a disadvantage though where they can't damage our homes."

He turned, looked at Jimmy and asked, "You were in the infantry in Vietnam so you've had some experience in this. Is there some place we can box them up and make them listen to us?"

The man considered for a moment before replying, "Yeah, I think if we can barricade the road on just this side of Skunk Bend where the tree line crowds the road on both sides we can block them there. Of course, it all depends on what they come with. Nothing we have is going to trouble even an APC much less any real armor. A few Hummers and a couple of trucks or something we can make an attempt with."

Ann put in, "Well, when they left all they knew they were dealing with was just us and Lisa. If they think there's just four adults and a couple of kids would they send a lot of troops with the situation in town being as bad as we keep hearing it is?"

Jimmy said, "You might have a point. They're really short on manpower from what Mike tells me so for just one family of holdouts they may not send more than a couple of Hummers. We can probably deal with those if it we get them at a disadvantage. I'll go get my chainsaw and John you get your Stihl and let's head to Skunk Bend."

The group nodded. Miguel said, "If there's anyone that doesn't want to be a part of this say so and I'll drop you off. I'm going back to my place so Roberto can get the other truck. John, we'll meet you at Skunk Bend. Vaya con Dios!"

- - - -

"Sergeant," the man in the right seat asked, "how far out of Archer did you say these people were?"

From behind the wheel the non-com replied, "About five miles out of town to the southwest down the county road. Nothing much out there but scattered houses, barns, gardens, pastures, and woods. Other than planted pine and maybe hay I didn't see a terrible lot of what I'd call real farming. If you don't mind my saying so, this fellow Horne may be right."

"That's not for you or I to decide," said Captain Frank Swift, "we've got very clear orders from Blanding and fifty five thousand hungry refugees in Alachua county alone that have got to be fed. If we let this fellow Horne get away with this it'll spread across the whole damned county and the entire effort will collapse. We're going to inventory his place and get this program back on schedule!"

Sgt Nichols sighed, said "Yes, sir.", and drove on. He darkly thought to himself, "Christly way to save the nation. Wish I was back in Arkansas."

The convoy of three Humvees and sixteen troopers passed unmolested and apparently unnoticed through Archer, they saw no one on the street or in their yards even though it was early afternoon and not raining. The sergeant shifted uneasily in his seat. "Captain," he asked, "When did you join the Army?"

Swift frowned slightly and replied, "In 1995 after I graduated. Why do you ask?"

"Just trying to make conversation. Me, I enlisted back in the eighties, just in time to be sent to Panama. Spent some nasty time in Haiti and like to have sweated to death in Saudi during the Gulf War. Figured we'd be for Afghanistan this year or next some time but with the Impact and all I suspect we'll be pulling out there. Here's the county road. We turn left here and it's about five miles to Horne's place. White house with dark green trim. Barn in the back painted the same way."

"We'll pull up out front and have the troops deploy." The captain explained, "This Horne fellow doesn't sound like he really wants a fight. Once he sees there's sixteen armed troopers surrounding his place he'll listen to reason and you can get on with your inventory. I'm surprised you weren't able to handle this yourself sergeant."

Nichols sighed again and said, "yes sir."

At about three miles out of Archer the road passed between a thick, mature stand of planted pine on one side and a heavy stand of oaks and tangled undergrowth on the other. The road began to bend more to the south and the trees crowded close. As they were halfway around the bend they saw a number of pine trees felled across the road making a barrier too high for the Humvees to climb over. A man sat on top of the trees, his hands resting on the trunks, apparently unarmed.

"That's Horne, captain," the sergeant said, "but I don't see any of this family. We're still a good two miles or so from his place."

"Stop a hundred feet in front of him sergeant." The captain instructed, "I'll get out and talk to him." He picked up the radio mike and spoke with the other two vehicles. "Have all the men get out when we stop, but keep their rifles slung. We're just going to put on a little show of force but I don't want anyone getting hurt."

The sergeant did as he was instructed, stopping short of the trees. The captain stepped out, leaving his rifle in the vehicle and approached the man on the trees.

At about ten feet he stopped and asked, "Are you John Horne?"

John replied, "I am he."

"Mr. Horne, I'm Captain Frank Swift, Eastern Recovery Command. My sergeant tells me that you refuse to cooperate with the national recovery efforts. I'd like to try to resolve this impasse."

"Not at all captain," John replied in a light tone, "We're quite happy to assist as much as we are able in the national recovery. After all it's in our interest as well as everyone elses. I'm just not going to cooperate in the endangerment of my family, dependents, and neighbors."

"Mr. Horne, no one is going to endanger anyone as I'm quite certain the sergeant has tried to explain to you. All we want to do is carry out our orders under the National Recovery Executive Directive so that we can keep fifty five thousand refugees here in Alachua county from starving. Surely you don't want to see that. We're all reasonable men here."

John shook his head, "Of course I want to see these people fed Captain but by now you've got to know there is no way they and the resident population of the county are going to be fed on what's to be found here. We're not farmers, we don't grow crops, nor raise livestock for the market. All that we have goes to feed my family, the family we've taken in since Impact, and my near neighbors. We have no surplus to share with the government and we're not going to allow you or anyone else to forcibly take from us what we have to have to survive."

"Mr. Horne, surely the sergeant explained the experts at the Recovery HQ will only direct the requisition of your surplus food and you will of course be paid for it. We're not thieves here. No one will be left to starve nor anyone's property taken without recompense."

With a sigh his opponent responded, "Captain, you and I both know that these 'experts' at your Recovery HQ are going figure us all subsisting on some starvation diet no better than the refugees are getting now in order to maximize the amount of 'surplus' they can requisition. And once they've figured what they can take from us through an involuntary sale they're going to calculate some price controlled rate for our animals and feed far below what these commodities are currently bringing on the *real* market. Having done that they'll pay those prices in paper dollars that are losing value by the day so that when what little you'll have left us finally does run out we'll have nothing with which to try to by what little food there is left to be found in any market - price controlled, the black market, or otherwise. In a nutshell Captain, we are not going to cooperate. We'll help where we can but not at the price of starving my family, dependents, friends, and neighbors."

Swift nodded his head, "OK, OK. Sergeant Nichols said you were a hard case and I didn't believe him. I'll have to apologize to him for my lack of faith. Mr. Horne, allow me to speak plainly here because your intransigence has sadly delayed our program and I'm here to get it back on track. Under the legal authority vested in this command by the National Recovery Executive Directive we have the right to inventory the livestock and grain stocks of all farmers in Alachua county. We *will* inventory yours then the rest who are on our list. Since you have chosen not to cooperate I'm afraid you leave me no choice but to resort to force. I've got sixteen armed soldiers here with me and if you do not IMMEDIATELY stand aside and allow us to get on with our business I will have you taken into custody. What will it be? Decide…. Now."

John eyed the angry military officer in front of him for a moment and then spit to one side. "Captain, I don't think you've understood my use of the word 'we' in this conversation." He reached into his shirt pocket and took out an FRS radio and keyed it - click. The sound of truck motors could be heard within seconds and a flatbed Ford and a panel van pulled out of the trees behind the Hummers and stopped, blocking the road and shoulder. The man keyed the mike again - click, click - and armed men and women began to come forward far enough to be visible but not out from behind the cover of the trees. All had their rifles and shotguns pointed upwards but in the general direction of the troopers.

"Captain Swift, I'd really, really like for this NOT to come to violence but these folks who are my friends, neighbors, and fellow community members are all agreed with me. We will NOT allow you or anyone else to take from us what we must have to survive - not for dollars, not for anything. If you force this issue we WILL use force to resist. Now I'm not much of a military man but it looks to me like you're surrounded. Will you reconsider your position?"

"Horne, this isn't going to work. I've got trained men here with automatic weapons. Even if you somehow managed to take us my HQ staff knows where I'm at and if I don't report back - soon - they'll send a reconnaissance in force to come look for me. You don't have anything that'll stand up against a helicopter gunship or armor. Tell these people to put their weapons down and I'll forget this ever happened."

"I'm sorry captain, but I can't do that. I've done my best to get you to listen to reason but if you intend to force this issue then force it'll have to be. You're right, we don't have anything that'll take an Apache but I do believe we've got enough to take you. You don't seem to be a man of much sense so I reckon you'll order your troopers to take us into custody or maybe even fire on us, we'll fire back and a great many are going to be killed. Not you though - we've all agreed not to shoot you - so you'll be able to go back to your masters at this Recovery HQ and explain to them how you killed a good many otherwise law abiding citizens in your attempts to forcibly take their food from them. You'll tell them too because we've made sure that several individuals who are not here are going to tell every damn soul they can find what we're here to do today and why. By this time tomorrow I reckon you'll be getting close to a general uprising and that *will* draw attention from all over I think" In the distance a siren's wail could be heard steadily growing closer. "Your call captain."

The captain's jaw worked for a moment and then spoke, "Sergeant! Place Mr. Horne under arrest and take him into custody! Do the same for anyone who attempts to interfere!" The sounds of the siren grew steadily louder. Sergeant Nichols and the two troopers who had gotten out of the lead vehicle were plainly reluctant to move forward. "Uhhmm, begging the captain's pardon sir," he said, "but this may not be the wisest course of action here."

"Sergeant!" Swift said in an authoritative tone, "I am not accustomed to discussing my orders. You will take Mr. Horne into custody or you will be relieved. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir, very clear sir." The sergeant stepped forward with a look of resignation on his face. After a moment's hesitation the two troopers began to follow.

To John it seemed as if everything had gone into slow motion. The sergeant stepped forward as if through thick molasses from a hundred feet away. "I'm about to get us all killed." flowed slowly through his mind, "This hasn't worked at all." Behind him Ann shouldered her rifle sighting in on the sergeant, Robert and Lisa did as well. After a heartbeat's hesitation the rest of the community shouldered their weapons and took aim. The soldiers began ducking for what cover they could find behind their Hummers and drew down on the treeline. Beads of sweat began to appear on the sergeant's forehead as he moved forward at a funeral cadence towards John.

He was just drawing even with the captain when a screech of brakes from behind the barricade was heard.

"THIS IS JOHN FREED - SHERIFF OF ALACHUA COUNTY. YOU WILL ALL LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS - THIS INCLUDES YOU SOLDIERS AS WELL!"

[Green Co.]

Aaaaahhhh, Alan, as you said, we're all junkies. Thanks for the latest "fix" (love how the story is going)

Hope we ain't jones'n too bad before the next installment

Dennis2

[Wild-T2]

As usual Alan another great installment! Keep up the good work.

[Onebyone]

You may have something there Alan the sheriff trumps the Captain on a county road doesn't he

Very good can't wait for next installment.

[Maiden]

Alan, I think I just wet my pants! Please keep it coming ... so much suspense! WOWWWWWWWWW!

[Bobga]

Sorry I didn't catch your question earlier, I am in and out a lot, and missed it.

I am near Guyton, about 30 or so road miles NW of Savannah.

[Melodi]

Wow, I take a weekend off for our SCA group to do a demo at the local town fair and I get to read there whole updates! This is really, really good stuff and I can hardly wait to read what comes next. Interestingly enough, we had thought about the food-inventory issue here when planning for Y2K. We tried very hard to have some food obvious, just in case the local village "commettee" came by to see what we had. The stuff we had where everyone could see it, was stuff we felt willing to loose if this happened. Though trying to keep a rural village in Ireland alive would be less daunting than realizing your family would be being asked to contribute towards feeding millions of displaced people. We figure that if we were cut off here, they're would be a really bad time when outside supplies didn't come, more bad times waiting for the next harvest, and then people would go back to growing potatoes (and hope we didn't have a blight the next year).

Anyway someone asked:


Is it true that Ireland does not tax artists or writers?
Yes, and no...you have to register with the government as a writer and it only counts towards books (not magazines, newsletters, etc). You have to provide proof of publishing, copies of reviews etc., etc...so self-publishing doesn't count either. But yes, that's one of the main reason's we live here. That, and we can get health care. Which as self-employed people with pre-exisiting conditions, was not possible for us to get in the U.S.

Well, better get back to my houseful of SCA members stuffing themselves with dinner downstairs...
Melodi

[A.T.Hagan]

The sheriff stepped out of his car. In his middle fifties his close cropped gray hair had gone gray at the temples and he was beginning to thicken at the waist but it was plain the man had worn a uniform for much of his life. Deputy Mike Daniels stepped out of the other side. A second ASO cruiser pulled up on the other side of the barricading trucks and two deputies stepped out but did not advance.

Walking up to the fallen trees Sheriff Freed spoke to the man sitting on the trunks, "You John Horne?"

The man nodded his head, "Yes sir, I am."

"Good", came the reply as he climbed over the trunks, "attend me please." He then walked up to the captain who had not moved since before the sheriff's arrival. "Good afternoon Captain Swift. I have just driven hell-for-leather to get here from a meeting of county sheriff's at Camp Blanding after my office called to tell me that members of my Posse were about to engage in a war with troops from the local Recovery Command HQ. Sure enough here you all are about to kill one another! What in flaming hell is going on here?!"

The captain did not immediately respond as if he were struggling for control. Presently he spoke, "Sheriff Freed, I am attempting to execute my orders given to me by the Florida State Recovery HQ at Blanding as per the National Recovery Executive Directive. I have been tasked to inventory the livestock and feed of every listed farmer in this county. You know as well as I do how short of manpower we are so any delays must be quickly and immediately resolved if we are to be able to carry out our mission in a timely fashion. You also know how close we are to losing control of the camps which further food shortages and the resulting riots they bring will only exacerbate. Mr. Horne here has absolutely refused to cooperate even after it has been repeatedly explained to him both the legality of our mission and the practical need for doing so. What's more he has now inspired seemingly his entire local community to rebel with him and if this is not immediately cru… resolved may well render our entire supply mission untenable as his rebellion spreads across the county - possibly into the surrounding counties as well. I have both the orders and legal authority to carry out this inventory and by God I intend to do so!"

Sheriff Freed nodded his head, "I see. Do you have a copy of the list that Mr. Horne and his neighbors appear on?"

Swift turned to Sgt. Nichols and said, "Give the list to the sheriff."

The sergeant pulled it out of his breast pocket and handed it over. The sheriff studied the list for a moment then turned to John and asked, "Mr. Horne, you ever sell anything down to the livestock auction? Sell any feed grain or raise any for your own animals?"

John replied, "Sheriff, in the ten years we've been out here I've sold two goats and a pig at the auction that my daughter had named and wouldn't have anything to do with eating if I'd slaughtered them. We've bought animals but we've seldom sold any. Mostly we eat them ourselves. I participate in a heirloom and open pollinated seed preservation program so I grow between a quarter to a half acre of corn every year to keep the strain viable. What I don't sell for seed or plant myself we feed to the livestock, but it amounts to only a small portion of the feed we use every year. We do have a flock of forty hens and we sell eggs to our coworkers at the university - to our neighbors now post Impact. I raise two pigs a year. We put one in our freezer and usually sell the other to a neighbor but with no way to buy food in town anymore and having taken in another family to live with us since the asteroid strike we'll probably eat that one too. What money we've made since coming here on what we raise ourselves probably doesn't amount to a half of what we've spent on producing it. That's not why we do it. I don't know everyone here very well but I can tell you that of all that I do know only Ed Strickland over there actually farms or raises anything for the market that can be eaten. You know most of the ag around here is tree or hay farming."

The sheriff nodded his head again. "I see." Turning back to the officer, "Captain Swift, where did you say this list of Alachua county farmers came from again?"

Glancing at John the captain replied, "It was sent to me from Blanding, I don't know for sure who actually generated the list. But my orders about it are clear enough."

Nodding his head once more, He then asked, "Captain, from the sound of you you're not from Florida, this part anyways. Where do you hail from?"

Swift answered, "I'm from Philadelphia, went to school there too and joined the Army after college. Why?"

Another head nod, "Much as I suspected - you don't know one end of a cow from another. Some bureaucratic peawit got ahold of records from some place or other and compiled a list of people he thinks are farmers without bothering to verify the truth of what he was putting on that list. It got sent out to only God knows where and put into the hands of some local commander without the experience, imagination or initiative to question the intelligence of what he's been told to do!"

The captain reddened and his mouth opened to speak but the sheriff cut him off and continued. "Now when you get back to town Captain Swift I suggest you contact Larry Forrester, he's the cooperative extension service agent for this county. He will be able to compile you a listing of everyone in Alachua county that holds an agricultural property tax exemption. Likely, he'll also be able to give you a general idea of what that exemption was granted for so you won't be pestering some fellow with a hundred acres of pine trees or some other fellow who only raises hay. I hold such an exemption myself for the seventy five head of Angus I run. Those are the folks you should be approaching. Most of them are going to be in the same position that Ed and I are in about being hard up for feed, forage or hay to get through this winter so if you'll approach them in a civil fashion they'll probably sell you what you need. Further, I suggest you get ahold of these 'experts' that compiled this list and see if they can't come up with some formula that the hay farmers can sell, trade, swap, whatever their forage to the local dairy farms so they can keep milking their cows rather than having to slaughter them."

Swift swallowed what he'd been about to say, paused for a moment and then spoke, "I'll have to confer with Blanding about changing their orders but it sounds like a workable idea."

Freed smiled and said, "Excellent Captain, I suggest you hurry home then and contact Colonel Scott at Blanding because I can tell you he's most anxious to hear from you! I'm quite sure Mr. Horne here will ask the gentlemen in those trucks to move them out of your way."

The mention of his C.O.s anxiety to speak with him set Swift's jaw into a rigid cast but he said nothing about it. With another glance at John he spoke, "Sheriff, I'm not about to openly cross the local civil authority over a matter such as this. I *will * confer with the Colonel and inform him of the situation here. Once he has decided the policy on this matter I will get this program back on track. Good day to you sir!" With a last glance at John he turned towards his troops and shouted, "Load up! We're going back to base!" and walked away, back stiff.

His opponent pulled the little FRS radio out of his pocket and spoke into it, "Miguel, you and Roberto go on and move the trucks out of the way. The good Captain is calling it a day."

When the last soldier had boarded the sheriff turned to John and said "Come with me." He then turned to the others standing there watching and said, "This is a public road. I want these trees cleared off and the road reopened right away. The rest of you folks go on home, the party's over." He climbed over the trees and walked back towards his car. Ann and Robert walked up along with Lisa and Ed.

Upon arriving at the car the sheriff reached inside, picked up a small parcel and then turned to John. "Mr. Horne," he said, "If you'd be so kind as to raise your right hand and repeat after me."

John quirked an eyebrow at the request but he raised his hand. The sheriff continued, "I, John Horne, do solemnly swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Florida."

After a moment's hesitation he repeated the words and then said, "Sheriff, what the hell is this?"

The sheriff said, "Just keep repeating Mr. Horne, I'm swearing you in as a special deputy. I swear to uphold the laws and regulations of Alachua county and to faithfully execute these laws to the best of my judgment and ability, that I will show no favoritism in my service and to honorably uphold my duties as a Deputy of the Sheriff of Alachua County Florida so help me God."

John finished his repetition and the sheriff handed him a deputy's star. With a tone of real concern he asked the law man, "Why are you doing this?"

The sheriff let out a sigh and said, "Mr. Horne, it's like this. I don't have anywhere near to the number deputies I need to keep order in this county since Impact, nor does the Gainesville Police Department or the smaller towns. Half the county, maybe more goes to bed hungry every night, nearly everyone is out of work, communications are spotty at best, and the fuel shortage aggravates everything. Every National Guard and military reserve trooper in the county has been called up as well as what we could scavenge from the evacuees and they've all been folded into the Recovery Command and what few active duty troops that could be sent too. It's simply not enough. We've got at least 55,000 refugees here in Alachua county alone - that we know of - and more come in every day. The whole house of cards may collapse anytime. Like it or not I've got to rely on the local citizenry to help keep the peace. You're a county resident, have been here for ten years, are respectable, and most importantly, have just demonstrated that you are capable of acting with coolness and decision. Maybe if we'd gotten a more able local military commander we might not be so bad off but I've got to work with what I have. You're part of that now. Your area of responsibility will be the county road from the Archer city limit down to the Williston road and the branching roads off of it. From time to time you may be called on to assist outside of your area and you'll need to come into town periodically to the office. When we have it you'll be entitled to a small gasoline ration. If you have CB radios or can get them I'll have one of our communications techs come and get you set up for the sheriff's net so you can call for help if you need it when the telephones are down. I strongly suggest you try to organize a neighborhood watch for your area and set up a net of whatever residents in your area that may have two way radios of some sort. You were in the posse that brought in those cattle rustlers from out here the other day weren't you?"

The new deputy nodded his head and the sheriff continued, "Then it'll come as no surprise to you that we're having an increasing theft problem, sometimes violent encounters too. You'll do best if you can get your area as organized as possible communications wise. The thieves, rustlers, and incipient bandit wannabe's will avoid you if they know they run a higher risk here of catching a load of buckshot. You'll liaison with Deputy Daniels and if there's anything from the office that needs to be brought out he'll bring it. He's familiar with our 'Local Constable' program and he'll fill in further tonight when he goes off shift."

He allowed this to sink in for a few moments. John said, "OK sheriff, I reckon I can see the need, even if I don't think I'm particularly suited to the task, so I'll take your… commission I suppose you'd call it. I suppose I owe you that much after intervening in our fracas here."

Another of the sheriff's nods, "I suppose you do owe me that much as well. I probably don't have to tell you this but you've made yourself an enemy out of Captain Swift and he strikes me as the kind of man who doesn't forget these things so watch your back around him. Between you and me he's everything that I don't like in a deputy and under other circumstances in real action I'd hope the Army would try him and find him wanting but for the foreseeable future we're probably stuck with him. Poor as he is there simply isn't anyone to replace him with until they can get more of their troops back from overseas. The Colonel tells me with the China situation and the Middle East about to boil over that might not happen for a while - if ever. With you as a Local Constable he should be a little more circumspect about trying you again but don't give him no easy openings. Most of his responsibility lies with the camps in Gainesville and around the county and their logistical needs so hopefully your paths shouldn't cross again but don't count on it. Between you and me that man has been chapping my ass a bit more every day but then so does the county commission so it's all just part of the job."

Freed put out his hand and they shook, "Goodbye Deputy Horne. Keep your sector quiet and let's all get back to the business of staying alive." The sheriff then climbed back behind the wheel and started the motor. Mike nodded at him and got in the other side. The cruiser backed, turned and disappeared down the road back the way it had come.

John turned to Ann and the rest with the star in his hand. "Well," he said, "once again we see that no good deed goes unpunished."

[Wild-T2]

This keeps getting better by the chapter. Very good work

[Albuburbia]

I agree. It keeps getting better and better! I'm getting GREAT visuals!

Thanks!

[Woolly]

Alan, what school of diplomacy did the sheriff graduate from? What ever, such graduates should be put in charge of the Department of State.

Unlike any sheriff I've ever known, this guy thinks at least three or four moves ahead. Perhaps he should run for president, or Attorney General, or...., it might be an improvement over what we have now.

As I read the previous episode the value of LOCAL law enforcement in contrast to the Army officer, became very clear to me. To local law enforcement the characters of your story are real people (neighbors) even though they may not know them personally. By contrast, the Army officer viewed the locals as simply an impediment to the execution of an idea ("Never Trust An Intellectual!). Your illusion in the latest episode to the thoughts of the Captain that the locals had to be "sma...." for their defiance of the Army's orders made that point very well.

In all writing worthy of the term literature their are lessons to be learned. There is much to be decerned, and much to learn from your story.

Well done, Alan!

Woolly

[lafrteacher]

Excellent multi-dimensional plot and foreshadowing! Love it!

[homemakerof6]

We're Waiting............................Oh sorry, no pressure,just got carried away. This is so good. I just wanted to congradulate you, have you seen the hits!! Wow!! Good story, we're anticipating for more wonderful storyline, this is great. Thanks A.T. Hagan. Good Stuff. homemakerof6

[eXe]

[freemen]

Alan,

Just got back from a small trip. The story is great! The best we have had since Nik's story a couple(?) of years ago. I do think you can publish it even in e-form ie like Rawles did with "TEOTWAWKI" which I think became "The Patriot"? Could lead to things like movies, etc. You never know.

Keep up the good work.

[Fuchi]

Fantastic story, as always.

[A.T.Hagan]

John came in from the barn with the dawning, having fed the goats, chickens and horse. It had been his night to sleep out so he headed for the bathroom to clean up. He and his dad had set up a comfortable enough situation in the feed room but after a night out there Ann always said he came in smelling like a goat. The power was staying on now more often than not which allowed everyone to more or less reestablish their accustomed hygienic habits. The family was going to the morning services in Archer so this meant thoroughly scrubbing off the barn smell and a good shave. He briefly considered just letting it grow out but the last time he'd grown a beard it had taken months before it began to look good and now that he was an "officer of the law" it probably wouldn't do to go about looking scruffy. With no way of knowing when they'd be able to buy more Ann often reminded everyone to be as conservative as possible with the soap and shampoo. "Well, at least we're not short on water." he mused as he stepped into the shower, "Even if we have to boil it on the woodstove we won't be short on water for a long, long time." The rain had stopped early yesterday morning but by mid afternoon the precipitation was falling once again and the weather folks said it would continue for the foreseeable future with increasing breaks in the rainfall and clouds as the last of the Impact weather gradually faded into the normal late summer Florida thunderstorms.

He dressed in loose trousers, sneakers, and a pullover shirt. His church clothes would go into a dry bag to be tied on the back of his bike and they'd all change there. Miguel said many people were doing this now since few had gasoline to drive to church which meant getting wet in the rain as they walked, biked, or rode a horse into town. The church took it in stride and provided gender specific rooms for the purpose. Attendance had been steadily rising since Impact - "To be expected of course, there's no atheists in fox holes nor in the Apocalypse… or whatever passes for it."

With a ten mile bike ride ahead in addition to the usual day's labors Heather and Melinda had made up a big breakfast of grits, eggs, milk, Tang, and coffee. Mel did pretty well for a ten year old in rustling up simple meals but since having moved in with them Heather was really starting to blossom - both in the kitchen and elsewhere. "Lack of responsibility and accomplishment" he thought to himself, "Kids need to feel like they're an important part of something, not just a family appendage. Here she's got chores - important ones - just like Mel does and she gets recognition for them when they're done well. Buying her expensive toys and sending her off to camp doesn't substitute for that."

After the breakfast dishes had been cleaned up the family broke out their bikes and mounted up. Robert would be staying home, he hadn't attended services since John was a boy, and would be discing up the garden preparatory to working it over with the rototiller. After church and the market the family would be working in the garden or raking up mulch. No longer a pleasant hobby gardening was now about to become a serious business and success or failure could mean the difference in making it through winter well fed or malnourished.

After the events of the previous day it felt good to burn energy. He'd had such an adrenalin rush after their near brush with pitched battle that he'd had trouble getting to sleep last night. On the way in John noted a couple of blow down trees that he'd see about cutting for firewood. If the power stayed on regularly their need for wood would be fairly small but after the last three weeks he'd decided that henceforth they would keep at least a year's supply of seasoned wood on hand. The regulatory authorities were still discussing power rationing and the winter was likely to be a cold one. He was never again going to be entirely comfortable about being dependent on miles of copper cable and a generation plant at the other end to keep the family warm.

The rest of the trip in was uneventful though it seemed to John that quite a lot of folks waved at them on the way in and an extraordinary number of people shook his hand as they dressed and went into the church. "Why on earth is everyone being so gregarious?," he asked Ann, "You'd think I'd hit the lottery or something."

With a wry smile she replied, "Well, it couldn't have anything to do with the fact that you're the local hero now would it?" and poked him in the ribs.

"Hero!" he said with an incredulous tone, "Get on with you! I nearly got everyone's asses shot off yesterday. We could have all been killed. I half expected someone to throw rocks at me this morning."

"But we didn't get killed" Ann persisted "and the Army isn't going to come in and take everyone's food now and that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't stood up to them and then got everyone organized so we'd be ready when they came back. You gave these people at least the illusion of still having some power and control in their lives at a time when everything seems to be completely out of control. Real or not they think you're responsible for that. Why else do you think the sheriff made you the local constable? That reminds me, you and I have to talk about this lawman thing. Here comes Mel and Heather, we'd better go sit down. Lisa said she'd save us some places."

The familiar routine of the service was comforting as was the sound of the church organ. It had been a while since John had attended services but it was starting to come back to him. He sang softly as he found that he'd forgotten the words to many of the hymns and had to resort to reading them from the hymnal. "Just as well" he thought "since I can't carry a tune in a bucket."

The opening hymns and prayer over the pastor stepped up to the podium and began his sermon. The morning's topic was about faith and resolve even in the face of seemingly overwhelming opposition and it felt to John that the pastor looked at him far more often than anyone else and he shrank into himself. Eventually he segued into a bit of hellfire and brimstone and Ann whispered into his ear, "I think he's really a repressed Baptist" when a boy of about eleven or twelve came slamming through the doors behind them. His feet slapped loudly as he ran up the center aisle and the pastor stopped in midsentence when the boy approached him. He bent over and the youngster whispered animatedly into his ear. A look of gravity crossed the man's features as he stood then walked over to the organist and bent over to speak to her. She stood and went behind the organ to the sound system controls and the congregation could hear her adjusting the controls and then the sound of a radio tuner came from the overhead speakers finally settling on a station in midsentence -

<I>…that's three nuclear detonations in the Straits of Taiwan. The Japanese government reports over its national radio that nuclear detonations have been detected in the Taiwanese straits and indicates they are believed to be as a result of U.S. Naval attacks on the Chinese Navy which is once again attempting to land troops on the island…</I>

The pastor stepped up to the sound system and turned the volume down to a background level. Stepping up to the podium again he said, "Let us pray…"

Overhead they could hear the bell begin to toll.

[Chapulin]

How could this be getting better??

Hop on the quicksilver and whatever else counts as writer's block prevention!

[ie don't stop now!!!]

Chap

[Wild-T2]

GO, GO, GO!!!! Man what a story. It just seems to

[AngieM2]

Oh my goodness!!!!!
and stronger explatives!!!

AngieM2

[Fuchi]

Dang, this makes coming to work, worthwhile...lol Keep it up, it just keeps getting better and better.

Here I thought the next installment would have the Captain getting his rear end chewed or at least returning for a rematch, and you nuke the Chinnese Navy......

[A.T.Hagan]

I'm trying to iron out the bugs with parallel plot development. The world around us does not stand still even when we're concerned with our own little crises at home.

.....Alan.

[tsherry]

This is turning to be much better than 'Grey Nineties/Triple OOO/Patriots' ever could be. Keep it up!

I'm waiting, of course, for John to reference A.T. Hagan's Prudent Food Storage FAQ.......I know that I've got a few printed copies of the last iteration, and at least a couple copies on laptops in our bug-out bag, CD versions as .pdf files, etc. Good job!

Best regards,

TS

[Albuburbia]

Whoa Baby!

Great ride!!

Well I C&P'd all of the "chapters" into one WordPerfect doc for my own use.

Alan, with a 9 Arial font, you are at 30 pages!

[Onebyone]

How large of nukes? Do we need to take our K1... oh thats right this is a story.... whewww!

Very good Alan.

[Melodi]

Brought back chilling memories of sitting at my desk in San Francisco with NPR on in the background. My boss is saying something mundane, a lady lawer is standing beside him waiting to borrow a pen, and suddenly we hear:

"US bombs are reported to be falling on Bagdad at this very moment...."

Everyone grew quiet for a second, then my boss walked away in silence, the lady lawer started to cry and I just turned up the radio and sat there....

Really, really, really good writing Alan,
Melodi

[rb.]

Alan, Alan, Alan....(sigh)...how sad you make me.

I just received my copy of Patriots from Amazon yesterday, and began to read it last night. I'm sad because I paid full price for Patriots, and here I am wanting to read your story SO much more, and it's (currently) free. LOL

You HAVE to submit this for publication when you're done. It's just too good. You are a talented writer, sir.

[luvfriedokra]

Wow! I am sitting here with goosebumps after reading the last paragraph of your story as I wasn't expecting that final punch. Oh, this is good Alan!!! You are truly a gifted writer. Thank you.

[gardenlily]

This is wonderful!!!!I check in several times a day for the next chapter....Keep up the good work!!!!

[Sammy55]

Alan-

Man, are you GOOOOODDDDDD!! Keep the story going!! I love it!! Gives me goosebumps even before I read what you've got coming next!!

And I agree with everyone else. Send it in for publication. It is more 'true to life' than some of the doomsday stuff I've read.

[John Free]

We'll all remember some day that we met him here......before he became a famous author!!!!!

[Nikoli Krushev]

Arghh!!! Alan I didn't know you had an online story going till last night when I clicked on this thread. Great Writing!! Great story!!

[Mac]

WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE!

[A.T.Hagan]

After services the family wanted to go straight home but John insisted on first stopping by the market at the old fire station. "It's important" is all that he would say so they dropped in. Even with the news of the nuclear confrontation there was still considerable activity at the tables - "Folks still gotta eat" he observed as he parked his bike, "Y'all watch the bikes for a few minutes. This won't take long." He walked into the selling area scanning the tables. Nearby one dealer had a radio set to the classical station which was playing <i>Carmina Burana</i> which he disliked because the music always put him in a gotterdammerung state of mind.

Eventually he fetched up at the feed dealer's table. A woman looking to be a few years older than he was at the board counting out quarters from a bag and weeping softly. This struck his curiosity so he counted the stacks of four that she put on the table - sixteen - as the dealer loaded a fifty pound bag of layer pellets into the little red Radio Flyer wagon she was pulling. After she left he turned to the dealer and spoke, "Sixteen dollars is pretty step for a bag of layer pellets isn't it Bill?"

The feed man gave him a short smile and replied, "Just capitalism at work John. Feed's mighty short right now. This'll be the first time in years that I've done well in this business."

John nodded his head, "There's a lot of intangibles in business though. I hope you'll do OK after things get back to normal. The family's waiting so I'd best finish my business with you from last market day so we can get home." He untied a sack and reached inside to pull out a brick of Winchester Super-X .22 ammunition.

"Been meaning to speak with you about that, John" the dealer said as he eyed the ammunition, "What with the attack and all I think our original bargain may need to be renegotiated."

His customer pulled out a second brick of the ammunition, a third, then reached into his pocket for some coinage - thirty six 1964 silver dimes and stacked them on the table. He dropped his voice into a deeper register and put some volume into it as he replied, "Bill, you and I made a bargain in good faith last market day. I'm here to keep my end of it." A dealer at a neighboring table and the customers in front of him and the table on the other side turned to look at them. "Are you going to keep your word or not?"

Bill opened his mouth to reply then realized that customers and dealers were looking at him as the surrounding burble of conversation faded. He hesitated a moment then said, "Why sure John, sure. We made a deal and we'll keep it. I was just talkin', that's all." He reached into a box under the table and pulled out five white plastic bottles with veterinary labels. "Here they are, just like we agreed. That's an awful lot. What are you gonna do with it all?"

In a tone that did not encourage further discussion his customer replied, "Going to be a cold winter and I suspect I'll be needing it. Thank you Bill, it's been a pleasure to do business." He put the bottles into the sack, retied it and walked back to his awaiting family. As he put the sack into his dry bag and tied it on Ann asked, "Did you get whatever it was you needed that couldn't wait? What was it anyway?"

John replied, "Veterinary antibiotics off Luke's list." then mounted and started riding.

- - - -

They'd made it about a mile out of town and the clouds were threatening rain when a woman stepped out into the road and flagged them down. John didn't know her name but he recognized her as one of the folks who'd showed up at Skunk Bend the day before to join in their confrontation with Captain Swift's troops. "Morning Deputy Horne!" she shouted, "Could I have a word with you?"

The word "deputy" in connection with his name still sounded strange to John and he suspected it would for a while yet. He briefly considered asking her to use the title "constable" instead but decided that sounded even worse. "Yes ma'am" he replied, "What can I do for you? I'm afraid we weren't introduced yesterday at our little… fracas."

"Oh!" the woman said, "We weren't were we? I'm Nancy Tiersdale, my husband John works at the archery plant, well, did anyways. I wonder if you could help us with a problem."

John nodded, "Well, I don't know Mrs. Tiersdale, I reckon you'd better tell me what it is."

"Well" she said, "it's like this. We keep hens and my little girl raises rabbits for 4-H but lately we're having a terrible time with dogs trying to get in and kill our animals. They haven't called him back to work yet so John's been trying to find what work he can and can't always be here to shoot them. We've got a .22 rifle but I'm afraid neither I or my daughter Brittany are much good with it. Everybody in the neighborhood has been having a time with the creatures. Isn't there something that can be done?"

He paused to consider for a moment the said, "Yes ma'am. We're all having a bad time with feral dogs. My dad's got quite a collection of pelts going from the one's that we've killed alone. With things being the way they are pretty near everyone in the county with a dog is probably run out or is running out of feed and they're just letting them go rather than killing them. If they can't find anything to eat in town they'll naturally gravitate out here into the country and kill whatever wildlife or livestock they can to stay alive. The county does have an animal control office but I suspect if they're still functioning at all they're completely overwhelmed. What I suggest you do is to reinforce your rabbit cages, hen house and yard as best you can. How old is your daughter?"

With a look of concern the woman replied, "She's twelve. Why?"

"Then ma'am" John continued "I'd keep her in the yard where you can watch her close unless you or your husband are with her. A pack of starving feral dogs might not try a full grown man or woman but they're only going to get hungrier and hungrier and they might just try a child. I need to discuss this with a few folks first then maybe we'll be able to do something to relieve the situation. If we come up with a plan I'll be sure to get the word out."

"Thank you Deputy Horne. Sure hope we'll here from you soon."

John remounted his bike "We'll do what we can Mrs. Tiersdale. I'll be sure to let you know" and rode off. The clouds were lowering and getting darker.

- - - -

The first drops were coming down as they rolled into the yard so they rushed the bikes into the barn and trotted to the dryness of the house.

Ann asked, "John, what do you plan to do about the dogs? Is this something that the sheriff's department should handle? Why you? The county's got animal control people for this, why not call them?"

"Well darling," he replied, "that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'll talk to Mike tonight about animal control but I strongly suspect they're not going to be able to help us because this has to be happening all over the county just now."

His dad came into the kitchen just then. "Did you hear the news?" his son asked.

"Yes. Came in to get my hat and the weather radio was going off. The government triggered the Emergency Alert system to tell everyone. I put off the discing until we can talk about it."

With a sigh John said, "Yep, just one damned thing after another it seems. If we're not trying to kill each other right here we're trying to kill each other over there. Are you concerned with fallout?"

His father nodded, "Don't reckon we'll get any to worry about all the way from the other side of the world but if there are any detonations here in the States you think we should put off planting?"

John poured himself a glass of water from the tap and sat to the kitchen table. "I don't know dad. How long do you reckon we can hold off planting?"

His dad put his hat on the table and sat down as well along with Ann. "I'm a little concerned we may have waited too long already to get non-cold hardy crops in the ground. National news is reporting the first snow storms up in Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. If your books are right about an Impact Winter then we may get frost a lot earlier than we normally do."

Lisa had come in and stood listening for a while then took a chair.

After pondering for a moment John said, "Seems to me we're going to have to take a risk one way or the other. If we wait because we might get fallout we may wait too late to plant anything that can't take a frost. If we plant now and there's nuclear attacks the garden may get dusted along with everything else. I'm for planting now. With the weather this time of year they'd have to hit a number of targets in Texas with something really dirty for a worrisome amount of fallout to make it all the way across the Gulf to us. I'm more concerned about getting caught by frost before we get our food reserves built up."

Lisa asked, "You don't think we'll have to worry about radioactive fallout if the fighting is confined to Asia? We adults aren't as susceptible to low-levels of long-lived radioisotopes as our children are. They could be seriously affected in the long-term. What about milk and eggs?"

Ann nodded her head and spoke, "John, I think we ought to get out the KI. You told me back when India and Pakistan were threatening each other that the radioactive iodine from any nuclear weapons they used on each other could reach here in a week or less. We need to be sure that Melinda, Johnny, and Heather are protected. There's other children in the neighborhood too like Mike's kids and Rick's sister's children."

John nodded his head. "Ok, I suppose we might as well. There's a small risk to using that much iodine but it's probably smaller than the risk from the radioiodine from the Asian nukes. Even that risk is pretty small but we've got plenty of KI crystals. I had a friend on campus order me eight ounces of reagent grade KI a couple of years ago and it's been sealed up ever since. Lisa, if the phone's working today why don't you see if you can get ahold of Luke and ask him about it. If he says grace over the idea we'll do it. I don't recall the dosage off the top of my head but it's in one of the books somewhere or Luke may suggest one. We'll need to give the kids theirs in some sugar or something - the stuff tastes nasty."

No one dissented so Robert brought the subject back to agriculture, "Well then, I'll get on with the discing tomorrow. Have you found that list of crops that are UV resistant yet?"

"No, not yet" John said, shaking his head, "It's in Kearny's book I think or one of the others. I'll dig it out tonight before going to bed. Hopefully we won't see a terrible lot of UV increase otherwise it's going to complicate matters. Another complication is the feral dog problem. It's steadily getting worse and is threatening to seriously affect livestock production. Only going to get worse when the weather turns cold. You got any ideas?"

Filling a glass with water his father replied, "Been talking it over with Ed. We figure the best thing to do is an old-fashioned driven hunt. Put the word out to the community to confine their dogs on a selected day. Get a group together to act as beaters and start them on one end and have everyone else in a wide U and drive them into it. Any dog we see that's loose gets shot. Probably have to do it periodically for a while."

"That's a good idea" his son nodded. "In fact, I think it'll be a good way to start putting the rudiments of a community network together for communications and teamwork. Dogs can't shoot back and we can start working the bugs out of our coordination and commo. I'll talk to Mike about it tonight and we can start putting it together."

Robert glanced at the wall clock and said, "Near to the top of the hour. News will be on. Lisa would you reach over and turn the radio on? Might be some new developments in the China war."

Lisa powered up the radio and the opening music for the news programming came out and was cut short. No intro was given, just a straight transition into the news feed directly from NPR -

<I>The Navy has made no comment on their losses in the battle for dominance in the Taiwanese Straits and the South China Sea but confidential unnamed sources within the Navy Department told CNN that as of 6:00 a.m. Eastern today one frigate and a destroyer have been lost with minor damage to an aircraft carrier being reported. No word on the names of the ships or the number of casualties these losses represent. Department of Defense sources have told us that the Chinese beachheads previously established on the island have been withdrawn following the nuclear detonations earlier today that rendered them untenable.

No official statement has been made by the government of the People's Republic of China and all communications links into the country remain blocked. Communications with the island of Taiwan also remain down, possibly as a result of the detonations.</i>

The announcer paused briefly and a sound of paper rustling could be heard.

<i>This just in. Witnesses in the Louisiana city of Shreveport report heavy air traffic of B-52 bombers taking off from Barksdale Air Force Base. Witnesses in the Dakotas also report a heavy traffic of B-52 bombers taking off from Minot Air Force Base, both of which are in a state of communications lockdown. Many air tankers have also lifted off. Traffic from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri has been heavy as the B2 Stealth bombers roll down the strip. The surviving Trident submarine base in Bangor, Washington cannot be reached. The security zone around the sub base has been extended to ten miles with warnings to all sea and air traffic they will be fired on without warning if they penetrates this zone. We have been unable to establish contact with any of the strategic missile forces at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming; Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.; or, Minot Air Force Base in ,North Dakota.</i>

John looked at his father and asked, "Dad, you went through this when you were a radioman on a Coast Guard cutter off of Cuba during the Missile Crisis. What do you think?"

His dad drained his glass, stood and went to the cabinet they kept the kitchen whisky in and poured it half full. He took a sip and replied, "I think the President has just done what Dirty Harry did. He's pointed the Strategic Forces of the United States at the Chinese and said, 'Well, do you feel lucky, punk?'"

"Who's going to blink this time I do not know."







-------

Edited to correct a continuity error.

[Mac]

[Wild-T2]

Mr. Hagan, you sure have a way of putting a guy on EDGE!!!

Another great chapter. Thanks

[Tim J]

Alan, your story is great. It's interesting, exciting, thought provoking, and timely.

Thanks

[Cascadians]

A pleasure to read, entertaining and educational. Balanced and realistic too, middle-of-the-road TEOTWAWKI

[Onebyone]

Watch out China, get yourself dug in good and deep cause our guys are on the way.

Man I hope that astroid doesn't hit Sunday; sure would hate it if Alan's story became reality.